The present invention relates to tabletop and countertop supports for eating utensils, and more particularly to eating utensil supports that can be used to elevate eating utensils such as forks, knives, and spoons above the surfaces of tabletops or countertops in an eating or dining setting.
Eating utensils such as forks, knives, a spoons are essential tools that are used in daily life both in the privacy of homes and in public restaurants. Although there are numerous methods for cleaning or sanitizing eating utensils, it is common during meals in both public and private settings for previously cleaned or sanitized eating utensils to be placed directly on tabletops or countertops that have not been properly cleaned beforehand. As a result, the eating utensils can become contaminated prior to an during use because they come into contact with surfaces that are not clean and that may contain bacteria, viruses, or other undesirable foreign substances. Such an unhygienic situation can foster the spread of illness and disease and is generally unpalatable. Many people attempt to prevent their eating utensils from being contaminated by the unclean surfaces of tables and counters by placing their utensils on a paper napkin or other paper item, but this generates additional waste and often results in the paper napkin or other paper item sticking to the bottom of the utensils. Further, use of cloth napkins or tablecloths to prevent contamination frequently results in a mess being created such that the cloth napkins or tablecloths are soiled and stained during the eating process. As can be understood, there is a constant concern with eating hygiene in the public and private settings that requires a clean and efficient way to keep eating utensils separate from the tabletops and countertops on which they are placed during eating;
In addition, while there are various prior art designs, and devices that have been proposed for supporting eating utensils and kitchenware/silverware, no practical method or device for the simple, efficient storage and transport of such support devices has been demonstrated.